The Dream Prince
by LadyoftheCity
Summary: FairytaleAU. Merlin is a peasant warlock and Arthur is an oppressed prince. Both of them try to escape their destiny but it brings them together in the form of a lake and a lady who would make everything in her hand so that their dreams can become true. Merlin/Arthur slash.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **The dream prince

**Pairings: **Merlin/Arthur

**Rating:** T

**Warnings: **slash, some violence (I'll warn you again in the chapters where it appears), angst, character deaths (not Arthur or Merlin), some innocent underage kisses (nothing serious until they are adults) and fluffy moments (after all it's kind of a fairytale). And this is unbeta'd, so any mistake is completely mine.

**Summary:** FairytaleAU. Merlin is a peasant warlock and Arthur is an oppressed prince. Both of them try to escape their destiny but it brings them together in the form of a lake and a lady who would make everything in her hand so that their dreams can become true. Merlin/Arthur slash.

**Word count for this chapter:** around 2900

**AN:** I finally decided to start publishing this! It's based on an Italian film called 'Sorellina e il principe del sogno' directed by Lamberto Bava. I used to watch it when I was a child and I loved it. I really feel like transforming it into a multichaptered story with Merlin as Alisea/Sorellina and Arthur as prince Demian and here you have the first chapter. I have this all planed and I intend to follow more or less the plot of the film but I will make quite some changes to adapt it to the Arthurian legend (and more precisely to BBC Merlin). Also, this is going to be a long fic. I have some more chapters already written but I don't know exactly how frequently I will be able to update. Anyway, I promise I will finish it. As usual, I own nothing. All credits go to the creators of Merlin and the film. Don't doubt to share your thoughts with me! Enjoy!

-~oOo0oOo~-

**Chapter One**

Once upon a time, many many years ago, there was a young boy, little less than a fourteen years old child, but it had been a long time that the games had ended for him. His big blue eyes had seen a good deal of suffering and his lanky skinny pale form was used to the hard work even at that young age. In fact, the boy could only think of working in order to help his large family to survive. And, as you can imagine, being a woodcutter isn't an easy job.

As he hauled a small cart through the forest, the boy's thoughts were full of worries. Winter was nearer each day and he had to get enough wood to sell it in the nearest town, a small farming village called Ealdor. He didn't like cutting down trees. He had always felt a connection with nature due to the magic that throbbed inside him, but the little tricks he was barely capable of wouldn't provide him and his family with food to eat that winter and the money for the wood would. That's why he used his ability as a help so that his axe would bring down the trees quicklier.

It was his father who had been the woodcutter of that forest. And it was from Balinor too that he had inherited his gift. As magic was forbidden in most of the realms, his father had preferred to live in the forest as a poor peasant instead of exposing his ability to get riches. It had also been his father who had taught him the little he knew about magic so that he could control his powers. He used to told him stories of how one day he would be able to help the magical people restore magic to its right place. He used to call him 'Emrys', although that wasn't his real name. Nevertheless, the name seemed to have stuck with him because his siblings still called him that.

Anyway, Balinor died some years ago and then it was Hunith's, that is, his mother's turn to go to the forest and retrieve enough wood to give her six children a good start in life while Merlin (that was the boy's real name) stayed at home and took care of his little siblings. Despite having six children, Merlin was the only one who had inherited his father's gift, possibly because he was the first born, and he used it to help at home and sometimes he showed his siblings some tricks to keep them calm. They loved him for that but the whole family was well aware that they had to keep it secret due to those unfair laws against magic users.

However, that changed some months ago when Merlin noticed his little sister had started to show signs of possessing some kind of magical ability too. His mother and he were quite worried when they realised that her dreams proved to happen and they were at lost of what to do without Balinor's guidance. On top of that, his mother had been feeling very sick lately and she was currently bedridden. That's why Merlin was there cutting down some trees with an axe that would weigh too much for him were not for his magic.

"Emrys! Emrys!", that would be the shouts of his siblings that were running boisterously towards him. Merlin stopped the blows and looked at them. There they were: a ten-years-old responsible Will, an eight-years-old serious Lance, a seven-years-old determined Morgana, a five-years-old funny Gwaine and a four-years-old cute Daegal. Looking at them together, no one could have denied they were family since all of them had dark hair, rather pale skin and blue (like his mother's) or brown eyes (like his late father's).

His siblings quickly surrounded him when he knelt and tried to calm them down enough to understand something among all the gibberish they were babbling.

"I was right! I told you! It's the king's army!", said an excited Morgana. And Merlin did remember she told them about a dream where the king would come back from war and visit them followed by an army, but could it be true?

"Yeah, king Uther's army has come back", confirmed Gwaine jumping a bit to capture his older brother attention.

"They have come back from war!", added Will and Lance at the same time.

"And they'll pass through our forest", supplied little Daegal while he wriggled among his siblings to get to Merlin.

"Okay, okay", said Merlin louder than all his siblings' shrill voices. "I told you not to walk away from home. You have left mother alone." Merlin's tone was harder than he intended and his siblings looked a bit down what made him feel bad since he adored them as much as they admired him. So, Merlin stood up and picked up the axe while he said more playfully this time. "Come on, let's get back home. What about a race?"

With Will and Lance's help, Merlin could drag faster the cart with the little wood he had got that day as Morgana and their younger brothers, Gwaine and Daegal, run ahead of them as if it were a game. Merlin preferred them to think that, but the truth was he didn't want to risk being out while the army of a magic hater king went through their forest. It could prove to be risky and he didn't like to leave his mother alone either, despite how much she insisted it was fine.

It wasn't really long before they reached the small but comfortable hut where they lived. After all that forest had always been their home and they knew it like the back of their hands. Merlin sent all of his siblings inside with his mother and started to take the wood from the cart more calmed now that they were home, which provided some kind of protection.

Moreover, the Escetir forest was big enough so that the king didn't have to find them. The fact that Morgana had dreamt about it didn't mean that it had to become true. That reassuring thought proved to be wrong as soon as the sounds of hoofs could be heard from where Merlin was standing in front of the hut. He was getting more nervous by the moment. What if the king's men discovered he had magic? And if they wanted food or shelter? They hardly had enough for them.

The piece of wood in Merlin's arms slipped down when the form of a small group of riders approaching the hut was visible through the trunks of the trees that surrounded their home. He had no time to warn his mother and siblings before the riders where there. He prayed they would stay inside and let him handle this. He didn't want his mother or siblings to expose themselves. He felt he was the one he had to protect them since he was the most similar to the man of the house now.

Then, the riders stopped in front of him. There were around six or seven armed burly knights, all clapped in shiny chainmail and armour and looking rather imposing. The ugliest and scariest of them all was the one to address him. He had short black hair, hard brown eyes, a strong chest, thick arms and a menacing air.

"You, boy, where's you father?", he asked with a demanding tone while he approached him still riding his high war horse. "We have no time to lose."

"My father is gone."

The knight laughed loudly. "What a pathetic excuse! So he's afraid and sends us this little boy!" The rest of the knights accompanied him with more cruel laughs. But they died down rather quickly when the knight spoke again. "Tell him to come out quickly or he would end badly", he ordered while he leaned down towards Merlin's face in a threatening way.

"He already ended badly", answered Merlin with sadness in his voice. "He was struck by a bolt of lightning while working in the woods for his family. That's his grave." And Merlin nodded towards the rudimentary tomb his family made for him a few meters away from the hut. It was only a big stone with his name on it and a bouquet of wild purple flowers beside it, but that's the better they could do for him apart from remembering him.

"And who's the woodcutter of this forest now?", asked the knight impatiently.

"Me."

Merlin's declaration was received with more contemptuous laughs by the knights. After all, for them he was simply a scrawny little boy. However, the ugly knight seemed to be getting angrier by the moment. "To other with that lie!", he exclaimed and at his orders they started to register the little possessions they had outside the hut and in the small open granary attached to it. Thankfully, they didn't try to enter the house itself where his mother and siblings were. "Where do you have the animals? And your food provisions?", the knight shouted above Merlin's desperate pleading as he tried to calm them down.

"Please. No, please", Merlin said in an attempt to prevent a knight from taking a big sack of flour he bought two weeks ago in Ealdor. The sack had to last them for all winter. They needed it to make bread. "Please, it's all we have for the winter."

However, he couldn't stand a chance against six trained knights. He understood it quickly enough when the man he was trying to stop simply shoved him and he ended on the floor, unable to do anything. Tears of fury and helplessness started to appear in his eyes but he didn't let them spill down. He could use his magic. With some simple tricks he could overturn them. And then he would have to pay for it with his life and, God forbid it, with his family's.

No, he didn't give them the satisfaction of seeing him crying and he didn't use his magic either. Instead, he calmed himself enough to stand up and say, "Please, my mother is very ill and my siblings are little. Just... just take whatever you want and leave." It was a surrender, but it was also the smartest thing to do given his chances.

"Are you ordering me?", asked furiously the ugly knight. "I'm the king's second in command! How dare you?!" And he unsheathed his sword with a horrifying hiss that made Merlin's blood turn cold. His eyes opened widely when the knight rose his sword and readied himself to bring it down in a mighty stroke that would most likely cut Merlin down. He had to do something or he would die. Perhaps, he could use an easy trick to distract them or just run, but he was petrified. His last coherent thought was that Morgana didn't say she had seen him dying in her dream.

Then, he heard a voice say, "Valiant! Stop this nonsense!"

Thankfully, the scary knight obeyed and sheathed his sword, although reluctantly. And Merlin breathed out in relieve until he saw his saviour. The owner of the voice was no other than the king of Camelot himself, Uther Pendragon. And if the golden crown on his grey-haired head was not prove enough, his manners and the authority he exuded were good signals too.

Merlin didn't have much time to look at the imposing figure of the king, before he forced himself to lower his head and sight as a sign of respect for the sovereign. He might be a peasant but he knew how to behave when in presence of a royal. He wasn't going to give the monarch any reason so that he could discover his and his little sister's magic abilities. If showing humility was the price, he was more than glad to pay it.

"Why are we losing our valuable time with this ragged plebs?", asked the king with a sneer.

"I'm sorry, my lord. You're right", replied respectfully the ugly knight. It seemed the only thing that could contain this monster's rage was the king and Merlin was grateful for that, although he could see that all the man's anger was nothing when compared to the king's cold blue eyes.

Merlin couldn't avoid taking advantage of their exchange to steal furtive glances to his majesty and the little retinue that accompanied him. Of course, they were all knights too, also with their good deal of armour, but this ones had banners with them: the golden dragon of Camelot embroided upon red fabrics. They really made an impressive sight, which didn't reassure Merlin in the least.

"The army has made camp. You, quickly, escort me back there. I don't want to lose more time. We have only three days more of travel and then we will be in Camelot."

"Two, my lord", provided Merlin.

"What was that?", asked the king a little annoyed. It was evident he didn't like when someone contradicted him.

The ugly knight's reaction was far worse. "How you dare speak back to the king himself, you little scum!" And his right hand went again to the pommel of his sword.

"Silence!", shouted the king. "And you, boy, tell me, what do you have to say?"

"My lord", replied Merlin with as much respect as he could muster, "this year there hasn't been any earlier snowfall so you can travel quicklier."

"Have you heard that, Valiant? I can't wait to get home. It's been a long time since I last saw my son, Arthur." Merlin kept throwing confused glances at the king. Was he really such a good father that he was that eager to get back to his son? But the king appeared to be quite excited about the prospect. "If there isn't any snow, we could make it in a day. C'mon! Let's go." And with that last order to his men he spurred his horse and left quickly, his red cloak flying regally behind him.

"You can keep your food", said the scary knight as a goodbye. "It must be your lucky day, little boy!" And he also disappeared through the trees in pursuit of his king.

The rest of the knights started to leave and to Merlin's pleasure they didn't take the little food they had. The knight who had shoved him to the ground went as far as throwing the heavy sack back at Merlin's feet, muttering a venomously "Next time, you should be more careful about what you say, boy" and spitting at the ground, but he left with the other knights too.

Merlin just smiled and watched them go. "I hope there's no next time", he said greatly relieved that it all had been a small fright and there wasn't any bad consequences.

When he turned around he saw that his sick mother and little siblings were looking at him from one of the windows. They sported worried glances, but Merlin kept up his goofy grin for them as he straightened up the scattered provisions the knights had discarded and then made his way back to his family.

-~oOo0oOo~-

King Uther and his men were galloping hard through Escetir forest. The king wanted to arrive at Camelot as soon as possible. He had spent the last eight years with his army, fighting campaign after campaign against one of his most staunch enemies, king Caerleon. It had taken him many years and the lives of many of his men, but in the end Uther succeeded. Caerleon was dead and his queen, Annis, had surrendered the kingdom and accepted his terms.

Now, Camelot was bigger and richer. And he had a valuable ally in lady Annis who he had allowed to live in her castle and rule in his and Camelot's name. But the most important thing was that Uther had freed another kingdom from the cruel grip of magic. The fact that he now had another kingdom under his command was just a bonus.

However, among all the prices he had had to pay to win this battle, what most hurt him was that he hadn't been able to see his son and heir grow up and become a warrior. When he departed for war, Arthur was just a seven years old little boy who still had a lot to learn and couldn't barely hold a wood sword in his chubby hand. However, he would be older now. He would have grown taller and stronger. Now, he must be able to stand his ground against any of his knights. That made Uther feel proud, knowing that his lineage and legacy would continue in his son.

"My son, Arthur", he said out loud, "he is my true prize for my victory. I'm really looking forward to seeing him again."

"I'm sure he's as brave and strong as you, my lord", answered Valiant, who galloped by his side.

"I can't wait to see the great warrior I have fathered", chuckled Uther. "If he's anything like me, he would be tough and ruthless. A true leader!"

And so the sounds of thousand of hoofs echoed in the calm forest as the king continued his journey towards Camelot.

-~oOo0oOo~-

Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **The dream prince

**Pairings: **Merlin/Arthur

**Rating:** T

**Warnings: **slash, some violence (I'll warn you again in the chapters where it appears), angst, character deaths (not Arthur or Merlin), some innocent underage kisses (nothing serious until they are adults) and fluffy moments (after all it's kind of a fairytale). And this is unbeta'd, so any mistake is completely mine.

**Summary:** FairytaleAU. Merlin is a peasant warlock and Arthur is an oppressed prince. Both of them try to escape their destiny but it brings them together in the form of a lake and a lady who would make everything in her hand so that their dreams can become true. Merlin/Arthur slash.

**Word count for this chapter:** around 3100

**AN: **First of all, a great thanks for all the alerts and favourites this story has received. It always means a lot to know there is someone who wants to read your work. And a special thanks to Nyme for the review. I have to say I give some thought to the fact of making Merlin's family wood cutters but I decided it fitted the plot because, as in the film, I needed them to live in a secluded forest and also because I thought it would be a good place for Balinor to hide with Hunith and start a family (instead of the cave where he lived alone in the show). Anyway, Merlin won't be a wood cutter for much longer. Also, he is around 14 (I mentioned it somewhere in the first chapter) and Arthur is around 15. I forgot to mention in the warnings (I've added it now) that they will share a couple of innocent kisses while still underage (I hope it doesn't bother anyone) but several years will pass before they can really be together (they will definitely be adults then). Of course, it's Arthur's time to make an appearance. However, you'll have to wait some more chapters before Merlin and he meet since several things have to happen first. Moreover, Arthur may seem a bit OOC at the beginning of this fic (perhaps I made him too sensitive) but it has to be like that so that the plot can work and it also makes sense if we take into account that this Arthur has basically been grown up by Ygraine (who is alive) and without Uther's influence. Now that Uther's back, that's going to start changing, but you'll have to wait and see. I hope this answers any doubts you have, although reviews and questions are always welcomed. Sorry for the long AN and enjoy this second chapter!

-~oOo0oOo~-

**Chapter Two**

Arthur Pendragon was a fifteen years old healthy boy. He took his light blue eyes, rather pale complexion and golden locks after his mother, the beautiful queen Ygraine, and that made him look more princely. As any royal, he enjoyed all the comforts that come with the position. He lived in a huge castle full of servants that attended his every whim, tutors that taught him everything an instructed person should know and a doting mother that loved him above all things.

As you can see, Arthur's life as a prince was an easy one. His only worries were learning his lessons for the day and attending the few court obligations he had, although he always worried for the well-being of his mother and his kingdom and he tried to help when possible. His passions were reading, writing and poetry. He loved to write his own poems and tales as a way to express himself since he barely spoke with his mother, his tutors, the sons of some nobles (not that he liked any of them) and Gaius, Camelot's physician and one of his father's most trusted advisers. But the truth was that he didn't have any real friend his age, so writing was a sort of a getaway for him – his only way of being himself and not merely a pretty prince.

His only sorrow was that he hadn't seen his father in a long time. King Uther Pendragon had been at war for years now and Arthur only had a hazy memory of him. He remembered greyish blue eyes, a stony face and how he always told him to be a brave prince and take good care of his mother. When he asked about him, everybody usually said that his father was a strict man, but a good king. Of course, that was what any of his subjects was supposed to say. However, his mother and, sometimes Gaius too, told him more things about him, such as how he was when he was younger or his heroic deeds as a warrior.

All that changed four days ago when an exhausted messenger informed the queen that king Uther was returning victorious from war and he would be there by the end of the week, which meant they needed to prepare themselves for the king's return and organize a great banquet to welcome him back. In the king's absence, it had been the queen's duty (with some help from advisers like Gaius) to rule in the king's name. His return would change that, as so many other things. And what worried Arthur the most was seeing him again. He couldn't avoid wondering stupid things like what would he think of him or how he should address him. Should he call him 'My lord' or was he allowed to call him 'father'?

Arthur sighed and forced himself to forget about that and concentrate on what he was doing at the moment. He was sitting in the windowsill of his big chambers overlooking the great courtyard where the main gates of the castle were watched by several guards and several servants milled around busy with their chores. He had a pen in his hands, a little board with a parchment in his lap and an open inkwell rested in the sill with him, everything ready for him to continue the poem he was trying to write as a way of welcoming his father back home.

However, his thoughts were keeping him from writing. What would his father think of his poem? Would he like it? More and more questions crowded into his head and he found himself incapable of writing anything worthy of being heard by a king. He was going to give up and leave for a stroll around the castle's gardens in an attempt to get some inspiration back when the door opened.

"Arthur, love, where are you?", queen Ygraine said sweetly while entering her son's chambers. She couldn't see him from the door since Arthur was in the windowsill of the inner room used as a bedroom with a huge bed, several wardrobes, chests, small tables and a big desk; whereas the entrance door was situated in the main room which was a kind of lounge and it mainly consisted of a large table with some chairs and an enormous chimney for the cold winters. The rooms where separated by a wall and connected by two arches, although both of them were decorated in the red and gold of the Pendragon's house.

"I'm here, mother", answered Arthur to make his presence known.

When she came into view he saw she wasn't alone. Ygraine was as beautiful as ever with his long golden hair combed back in a loose and elaborate bun and a light pink dress that brought out the sweetness of her delicate features. By her side stood old Gaius with a long brown robe and wavy white hair that framed a gentle wrinkled face from where a pair of light blue eyes always looked at him fondly. Arthur also found funny that the physician had the strange ability of rising one of his eyebrows impossibly high every time he found something disapproving or something was troubling him. The prince didn't know if today was the case but both his visitors seemed nervous.

"Arthur, a group of riders has been sighted very near Camelot. It seems that your father is with them", his mother informed him.

Arthur was suddenly rendered speechless. "But then... then..."

"He will be in Camelot before the sun sets, sire." Gaius continued with as much respect as ever, although the truth was that Arthur had always seen him as a fatherly figure due to his real father's absence.

"Then I'll have to finish it faster", muttered Arthur.

"Finish what?", asked Ygraine curiously as she approached him and looked at the parchment in his hands.

"It's a poem", replied Arthur shyly. His mother knew how much he enjoyed writing and she had even read and praised some of his works, but this time was different. This time he was doing it for his father and he wanted to share this poem with him. "I thought it would be a good way of welcoming father back."

For a moment Ygraine looked back at Gaius and a worried look crossed their faces. But then it was over and Ygraine was saying kindly, "You don't have time for that, love. You have to prepare yourself to receive your father."

Arthur frowned. Prepare himself?

"Her majesty is right, sire", helped Gaius with a reassuring smile, "You should wear your ceremonial attire."

And Arthur couldn't suppress a groan. He hated it. Despite the fact that winter was nearer each day, it was still warm and his ceremonial clothes included a thick hauberk, a pauldron, a gorget and a red long cloak which caused him to sweat profusely.

"Is it necessary, mother?", he whined. "You know I don't like those little warrior's clothes at all. I would rather greet him like this." And he gestured towards the clothes he was wearing at the moment for good measure: comfortable brown breeches, a bright red cotton t-shirt with a leather belt and high boots. They may be simple, but they were of the best quality, truly fitted for a prince.

The queen and the adviser looked at each other again, this time with a doubtful expression on their faces. "Alright", conceded the queen finally, "but be ready when it's time."

"Thanks, mother!", the prince exclaimed happily and he leaned up a bit to kiss her mother's cheek in appreciation before turning his full attention to the parchment in his hands.

Then, Gaius approached the two royals and looked over said parchment with questioning eyes. "Are you going to finish your poem now, sire?"

"Yeah", Arthur said with a smile. "I want to finish it before father comes. I would like to give it to him at the banquet tonight. I want him to be proud of me."

New worried glances were exchanged but Arthur didn't notice them this time since some inspiration had struck him and he started to scribble rapidly once more. He barely had a few hours to finish a poem for a father he had long been waiting to see.

-~oOo0oOo~-

It was another day in the little hut in the middle of the Escetir forest where Merlin lived with his family. However, his little siblings and even his mother couldn't stop talking about king Uther's visit the day before. Thankfully, their incessant prattle died down a bit when Merlin retired the pot from the fire and took it to the small wooden table crowded by all of his siblings. Then he started to serve the stew he had prepared to have dinner that night. Now, all that could be heard were five piercing voices saying at the same time "Here, Emrys", "Serve me first" or "Give me some more".

But Merlin didn't blame them. They were still children and he knew from his own experience how horrible could be being hungry so he tried to be as fair as possible and served them their good share of stew. And when the quarrels about who had more stew started, he just used his magic to enchant a spoon and his siblings laughed merrily as it moved from plate to plate feeding each one in turn. He didn't mind at all that it raised a ruckus or that he would be the one to clean the mess the spoon was making. He liked to see his siblings happy. That always brought a smile to his face and made his day more pleasant.

He left them wolfing down their meal with the enchanted spoon dancing around them and served another plate of stew for his mother. He still felt bad about the fact that she had got out of bed to see what was going on. It was all the fault of those brute knights and that ugly man. However, Merlin felt grateful that the king had intervened and they could keep their provisions for the winter. Uther had the reputation of a cruel king and a magic hater, but Merlin had to admit that in their case he had acted as a fair man. That didn't mean that if he had discovered his and his little sister's abilities, he would have had them burned at the stake.

Merlin shuddered at that horrible thought as he brought the stew to his mother. She had returned to bed due to Merlin's insistence. It was in a smaller room separated from the rest of the house by two steps and a handrail since the hut was built upon irregular soil. It was mainly made up of the upper floor (if you could call it that), where his mother rested in the biggest bed they had, and the slightly bigger main floor, where they had the chimney to cook and warm themselves, a table with some chairs, several cupboards and chests and some smaller beds for the rest of them. A little granary was attached to the right side of the house. It had no doors and they only used it to keep the wood they cut down and some provisions, but they didn't had to worry about people wanting to steal they meagre possessions – except for those stupid knights the day before, there had never been any incident of that kind.

Merlin sat down beside his mother in the edge of the bed and held the plate out for her with his best goofy smile. He didn't want her to worry over anything. Not in her state. They didn't know exactly what was happening to her, but it seemed that her heart was too tired and any effort left her exhausted. Of course, Morgana had dreamt about their mother in bed before Hunith started to get ill, but as she was still a child she didn't understand how serious it was. The fact that his sister had never dreamt about her getting better also troubled Merlin, but there was nothing else he could do. Not even his magic was enough to help since he didn't know any healing spells. And they didn't either have the money to get a physician. So he kept his mother in bed, took care of her and his siblings and worked hard so that his family could survive.

His mother sat up against some cushions and accepted the plate he was offering her. Her smile seemed as tired as her blue eyes. "Merlin, my boy", she began. She was the only one in the house that called him that. "You were very brave, but you shouldn't have done it. You should have let me confront those men. It was dangerous... If the king had discovered..."

"It's alright, mum", interrupted Merlin. "And you know you shouldn't be out of bed. Now, eat this. You have to get your strength back." And Merlin watched with satisfaction when his mother sighed but started to eat. "Anyway", continued Merlin, "we're lucky that the king was in a hurry to see his son."

Suddenly, Gwaine, Morgana and Daegal jumped in the bed with them. "I'd like to be the king's son", commented Daegal dreamily. It was a comprehensible dream for a poor four years old child, but Merlin had to make him forget about it. He didn't want any of his siblings being bitter about the life they had.

"Would you like that?", asked he with feigned incredulity. "I'm sure the prince is a spoiled utter prat. All the day with servants fulfilling his every whim, with lots of food and a big castle all for himself... He must be a pompous arrogant cabbage-head that can't stop ordering everybody around and is incapable of doing anything for himself... It must be extremely boring", finished Merlin with sarcasm. Well, at least he had tried to make it look as bad as possible.

His siblings' opinion was quite different. "It must be wonderful", they said in unison.

Merlin and his mother tried to stifle their laughs at the children's gullibility. They knew that being a prince was far more than that. Despite all the luxuries, a prince also had a great deal of responsibilities with his family and his kingdom. Not everything was that easy. But Merlin didn't want his siblings to envy that life either. So, as he stood up and left his mother eating with Gwaine, Morgana and Daegal, he continued his speech.

"But he must be an unbearable conceited clotpole." He walked down the two stairs to join Will and Lance who were trying to clear away the table. "Moreover", he added, "you didn't see his father, the king, but I did."

"And how is he?", asked Will with interest.

"Well, he's a tall handsome man...", Merlin tried to describe him, "but he's very haughty... And his eyes are so cold..."

"But he stopped the scary man that wanted to hurt you", said Lance reasonably.

"We're his subjects. He has to protect us. It's his duty as our king." Merlin placed the last plate in the washing-up bowl full of water where the rest of the piled up plates waited to be washed. He would do that later when he and his mother would finish their dinner. "And one day, it will be the prince's duty too." Merlin ruffled Lance's hair and his eyes turned gold once more so that the enchanted spoon that was still running around the table jumped into the washing-up bowl too. "C'mon, boys, it's time to sleep."

Will and Lancelot went to their beds obediently. They were older than the others and they were also more aware of their situation. Moreover, they had to be tired too since they used to help Merlin more than his other siblings who were younger. However, from the other room he heard Gwaine's whining, "I don't wanna sleep now."

But when he climbed up the stairs the three children were comfortable curled up around their mother, who had already finished her meal. Daegal was even snoring softly, the poor child, and Morgana's eyelids were almost closed, heavy with sleepiness. Gwaine was the only one that was trying to keep himself awake. Merlin chuckled amusedly and lifted him easily. Gwaine protested again, but he finally conceded and in no time he had all of his siblings and his mother safely sleeping in their respective beds.

Merlin looked at all of them sadly as he sat at the small wood table to eat the rest of the cold stew. He wished he was able to give them a better life but it would be dangerous for them to live elsewhere where people could find out more easily about his magic and Morgana's dreams. Anyway, there was no point thinking like that. He had work to do. He wanted to wash the plates and tidy up a bit before going to sleep. The next morning he had to wake up soon. He needed to cut more wood if he wanted his family to make it through the winter. When the snow arrived, it would be harder to collect wood.

He stood after finishing his plate and took it to the washing-up bowl along with the pot. It was time to wash everything up. Since he was quite tired, he enchanted a rag to wash the pot, which was the hardest, while he did the rest by hand in order to finish soon. As his hands submerged in the dirty soapy water and he started to scrub the first plate his thoughts wandered back to the prince. In a way, he really felt sorry him. Merlin had known his father. Balinor had been a kind man. He had taught Merlin about magic and about caring for his family, but the king... There was something in that man that made him shiver. He doubted the prince would have the same love he and his siblings had had from his father.

And in that moment, while he was on his knees washing plates, he pitied the king and his son. Merlin had heard many things about king Uther, but now that he had witnessed his arrogance and authority, he could see clearly that the man hated magic so much because it was power. A power he craved but that he couldn't understand or possess. And that made him a cruel bitter man that vented his insecurities on the world. Merlin knew that magic could be a gift, a true treasure. His father had shown him that. He feared what king Uther might teach his own son.

-~oOo0oOo~-

Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **The dream prince

**Pairings: **Merlin/Arthur

**Rating:** T

**Warnings: **slash, some violence (I'll warn you again in the chapters where it appears), angst, character deaths (not Arthur or Merlin), some innocent underage kisses (nothing serious until they are adults) and fluffy moments (after all it's kind of a fairytale). And this is unbeta'd, so any mistake is completely mine.

**Summary:** FairytaleAU. Merlin is a peasant warlock and Arthur is an oppressed prince. Both of them try to escape their destiny but it brings them together in the form of a lake and a lady who would make everything in her hand so that their dreams can become true. Merlin/Arthur slash.

**Disclamer:** All credits go to the creators of BBC Merlin and the Italian film 'Sorellina e il principe del sogno'.

**Word count for this chapter:** around 3900

**AN:** Once more, thanks for the favourites and followings this fic keeps receiving! Here you have Uther's arrival at Camelot. Finally, he's going to meet his son Arthur. Also, you may think he is a bit OOC, but take into account that I intended to make this Uther more temperamental than in the show. Also, a new important character is introduced. Let's see if you know who he is. I'm sorry if the first chapters are more boring but the plot will start to thicken soon enough. Hope you are enjoying this!

-~oOo0oOo~-

**Chapter Three**

As the sun started to set, Ygraine found herself waiting for the king's arrival along with her trusted friend Gaius and most of the councillors, knights, guards and servants that lived in Camelot's castle. All of them were surrounding the main square around which the impressive castle was build. The most important figures were situated in the staircase just behind her. She was the only one that remained in the centre of it all to welcome back her dear husband, as any good queen should do.

His son, prince Arthur should be by her side. When she and Gaius had gone to communicate him his father's return he had seemed nervous. Ygraine could understand it was completely normal. Arthur had practically grown up without knowing Uther. He just knew the little that Gaius or she told him and she supposed he must have heard some rumours too. Nervousness was something she expected. However, what really worried her was the fact that he was writing a poem for him. And he even wanted to give it to Uther publicly in the banquet they had prepared for that night.

The queen knew Uther wasn't either going to tolerate it or even understand it. Arthur's way of expressing himself was with written words, but Uther's one was through weapons, wars and hatred. Poetry had no place in his heart and when he discovered Arthur's love for it, he would do the impossible so that it would be the same for his son. She remembered quite well how much he had wanted a heir, a son. A boy he could educate to be a fearsome warrior and could go on with his conquests and his exterminating magic politics.

That's why she had always feared the day Uther would come back and would take his child away from her. She had never wanted her son to be like his husband, so she had hired tutors to teach him letters and science as well as knights had taught him to defend himself with a weapon. However, it had been Arthur's choice to prefer words to swords. And now that Uther was almost upon them Ygraine was immensely worried. Perhaps, she should have had to prepare her son better, made him tougher, because she knew this day would come. Now there was nothing more she could do. She had let her son be himself and when the king arrived, the only thing left for her to do was to try to protect him from his own father with the best of her abilities.

Nevertheless, that was already proving to be difficult. She could hear the knights approaching and his son wasn't there yet. She had sent a servant to look for him when the prince hadn't shown to receive his father like everyone else but now Uther was almost there and there was no trace of Arthur or the servant. Uther wasn't going to be pleased with that. She was sure the king would be anxious to see his little warrior son. It was bad enough that Arthur didn't want to wear chainmail, but that he wasn't even there to see his father back was going to anger him.

A small group of riders entering the square interrupted her thoughts. It seemed they had left the rest of the army behind and had come home ahead to accompany his king. Uther was among the riders, just in the middle. He was wearing a red cloak with the Pendragon's crest and chainmail like the rest of his knights. The only difference was the golden crown on his head. Ygraine watched him approach her and noticed how older he looked now. His hair was greyer and he had more wrinkles. His eyes and demeanour, however, remained as cold as ever.

He dismounted and walked to her calmly. He was noticing the changes in her too. She wasn't a young girl any more, but she had always been younger than him and time had treated her well. It wasn't her place to say it but people still praised her beauty. The king must have thought the same because he sent her a little smile and took her hand gallantly to give it a quick kiss as a symbol of his love.

"Welcome back, my lord." Ygraine bowed to her husband and started to play the role of the loving awaiting wife as it was her duty. "I've been worried for your welfare."

"My queen", replied Uther pleasantly, "I see you're as beautiful as ever."

He nodded curtly to her before turning his razor eyes to the rest of the people congregated in the square. He studied them a few moments and then he proclaimed with a loud authoritative tone, "My knights, my councillors and good people of Camelot, I bring you a great victory today. More lands, riches, allies and most importantly, the eradication of more evil magic users. As a king, I bring you peace and tonight we celebrate it together."

Everyone in the square cheered at the king's declaration. Some people followed Uther's believes about the evilness of magic. Others remembered too well what it could mean not agreeing with his majesty. In any case, the people of Camelot knew better than upsetting their ruler his first day back after a long war.

With the excited voices still echoing in the square, Uther turned his attention back to his queen and asked her harshly, "I suppose you've organised everything, haven't you?"

"Of course, my lord", answered Ygraine sweetly. She had also experienced herself how far Uther might go when something displeased him. "We knew you were coming back and..."

"I hope you haven't let the servants get used to obey just you", Uther interrupted her rudely and made his way towards the staircase where the councillors and knights were waiting his king. Of course, his obedient wife followed him. "Now that I'm back, it's my place to rule, don't forget that."

"I know, my lord", the queen tried to appease him. "Your people are glad you're back. They prayed for your safe return."

"I hope so. After all, I'm their king. I have the power to kill them or let them live. They should be glad I'm such a generous king."

"They are, sire." Ygraine had heard that same arrogant and cruel discourse before from him. She understood then that he hadn't changed at all in all those years away. In fact, the war seemed to have made him more heartless.

The whole time Uther had been looking at the councillors and knights as if searching for someone but when they reached the steps it was far too obvious that that someone wasn't there. "Where is my son?"

Ygraine had been waiting that question and yet she wasn't ready to answer it. So she tried to change the topic. "You must be exhausted, sire. I made the servants prepare you a hot bath, then you will be able to change to something more comfortable before the banquet. I've even arranged for a comedian's group to perform tonight." As she climbed the first steps to the big wooden doors she hoped his husband would believe her excuse and follow her inside.

She wasn't that lucky. Uther was still at the foot of the stairs, his face contorted in a fiery frown. "I've asked you where my son is. Where is my little warrior? He should be here to receive his father from war."

Ygraine, however, didn't budge and tried to cover up for his son once more. "But you should rest before you see him."

"I'll rest later", replied a very annoyed Uther. "I've dedicated my victory to him and my men want to see his future commander." Ygraine looked back at all the ruthless men that had brought his husband back home safely. They had dismounted too and were not far away from them with interested looks on their faces, grunting their approval. As her eyes scanned the knights, they fell upon a tall ugly man. She remembered him specially – Valiant, Uther's second in command. And she hoped with all her heart that Arthur would never be anything like him.

"Come with me, sire", she conceded. Uther might have a right to see his beloved son, but those brute men certainly didn't. If Uther had to see Arthur for the first time in years and realise he wasn't the warrior he expected him to be, then it would be better it happened in private. "I think he's in his chambers. He must be getting ready for the banquet."

"Then take me with my son, I want to see him."

Ygraine nodded and guided Uther inside his castle. As they passed the councillors and knights positioned in the staircase they parted and bowed to their monarchs. Uther only acknowledged some of his most trusted advisers, among them his old friend Gaius, whom he clapped in the back before following his wife through the castle corridors to Arthur's chambers.

Once there she knocked and entered. She hoped against hope that Arthur had finished his poem and was getting dressed or doing something else. It was useless. They found him writing, but this time he wasn't in the windowsill. The prince was sat at his desk, his sleeves up, his face concentrated and the pen still in his hand. He didn't even seem to notice there was little light left.

"Arthur, son", she said as she walked towards him, Uther stepping in behind her. "Your father has arrived. He wants to see you."

Arthur looked up surprised, as if he didn't know it was time. He stood quickly and bowed to Uther. "Father", he muttered unconfidently as the king subjected him to a thoroughly examination. He surely noticed Arthur's golden locks, his kind light blue eyes and his somehow shy but still proud smile.

"You're my son...", Uther said. He seemed to be in a trance as if all of his dreams had suddenly become true. And in part it was like that, all those years wishing for a son, then being apart from him for so long and there he was. Arthur, his boy.

"I'm... I'm sorry I wasn't in the square to welcome you, father", mumbled Arthur. "But I was working on this." He picked up the parchment he had been working on all afternoon and approached them. "It's a present for you." He hold it out to Uther with a sincere smile full of expectancy. Ygraine, however, dreaded the moment Uther would broke all her child's dreams.

"What's this?", asked Uther really surprised. He looked at the words as if it was the first time he had seen something like that.

"It's a poem, father", began Arthur more excited as he gained some of his confidence back after the first shock of seeing his father again. "I wrote it for you, to commemorate your great victory. I wanted to give it to you tonight in the banquet... And perhaps... I could read it aloud to let people know about your..."

"You want what?", shouted the king. And Ygraine knew that was it. Uther had realised his son wasn't a warrior at all and that made him impossibly angry. The worst was that it was his son who was going to pay for it. She just prayed that it wasn't as bad as she expected it to be.

"I wanted to...", was saying Arthur meekly. He had noticed too that Uther wasn't all that pleased with the idea but he didn't know what to do.

"I'm a king and you're a prince, damn it! I've spent years in war to bring glory to this kingdom and my family and you, my son, want to celebrate it with a stupid poem", scorned he. And then he tore the parchment.

"No... Father...", protested Arthur but in his eyes there was something akin fear along with disappointment and Ygraine's heart broke a little along with that parchment which ended in little shards scattered on the floor.

"You should be a warrior! Were are your muscles?", asked Uther furiously as he stepped on the pieces of parchment and took one of Arthur's slender arms. He certainly knew his way around weapons, but he didn't have the physique of a great muscly warrior. For god's sake, he was still a boy, a child. "You're nothing like a knight." The king pushed Arthur away and directed his rage against Ygraine. "What have you done, woman? You were supposed to educate him."

"And I did", she tried to defend. "He studied Latin and maths, he can write and read and compose poems..." As she said that her eyes took in the figure of her little prince who had knelt on the floor trying to recover his lost poem, the one he had written for his father.

Her eyes returned to Uther when he grunted angrily. In the twinkling of an eye, he went to the desk and throw everything there on the floor – parchments, books, pens, inkwells, everything.

"Poems?", was he saying in a rage. "That's rubbish. From now on, I will be the one taking care of his education. And he will be a man, a warrior!" And with that he left with cross steps.

When the door closed behind him, Ygraine knelt beside his son. "I'm sorry, love", she said as she caressed his soft blonde hair. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you before."

"It's alright, mum", answered Arthur with a sad expression in his young face. "You just wanted to protect me from the truth. I don't blame you. But now that I'm older I must face it." And the prince took his mother's hand in his to reassure her. "If he wants me to be a warrior, then I will train more. But that doesn't change how much I like writing. I'll be always the same. I promise."

-~oOo0oOo~-

Hunith woke up suddenly alone in her bed. She had heard something similar to thunder and her first thought was for her children. She always worried for them. They were everything she had and she loved them with the passion any mother would, more if we took into account they didn't have their father to care for them any more, although they had Merlin, her older son, who made all in his hand to look after the rest of the family. But for Hunith, he was still her little magical boy and it saddened her that he felt responsible for her and his siblings.

She looked around and saw her children sleeping peacefully. And Merlin... "Merlin! Where are you?" she whispered as loud as she dared not to wake up the other children.

"He's out. He's putting the piles of wood he left outside in the granary. A storm is coming." It was Will. She hadn't noticed it before but neither he nor Merlin were in their beds. Will was looking outside from the window, a small candle burning beside him. As a good brother, he was watching over Merlin. True to Will's words the light of some lightning came through the glass and every crack of the hut.

"I don't like him to go out at night", stated Hunith but in her state there was little she could do to avoid it. That made her feel more impotent to protect her children and even sorrier to place such a burden upon Merlin's young shoulders.

"I've told him so, but you know how stubborn he is. He doesn't listen to anyone", complained Will. "I'm gonna tell him to come in already."

And Will walked to the door. Hunith, however, didn't allow it. It was bad enough that one of her boys was out there, she didn't want Will to go out too. "No, no, Will!", she almost shouted, "just open one window and tell him to come in."

As a good boy Will went to the window nearer to the granary and opened it widely. "Brother!", he shouted against the wind. "Emrys!"

"Will!", replied Merlin from outside. "What the hell are you doing? Close that window or you're all going to get ill!", but he continued picking up wood.

"Mum says you have to come in immediately!" shouted Will again.

"I will when I finish this! Now close that window!" And he continued with the task at hand.

"Aren't you afraid?", asked Will, who hadn't closed the window yet.

"Afraid? Of what?", cried Merlin. "It's the storm that worries me." He went to the granary to put away another pile of wood as he shouted, "Just close that window, Will!"

This time Will obeyed. And Merlin was left preparing everything for the upcoming storm. However, as he finished rearranging all the wood and sacks of provisions in the granary he heard a snap. For a moment he thought there was someone out there, but that was impossible. No one in his right mind would venture out in a weather like that. Merlin came out and watched the surroundings thoroughly but he discarded the stupid thought. It must have been Will's comment about being afraid. That and the fact that Morgana had woken up rather scared that same night, before the first signs of the storm had arrived. It had taken him some time to put her to sleep again since she kept saying she had seen an evil raven and that it was out there, but Merlin had finally managed to calm her. In fact, it had been thanks to Morgana keeping him up late that he had realised there was a storm looming over them.

With time Merlin had learnt it was better not to disregard Morgana's dreams, but he couldn't either let fear grip him each time she dreamt something, specially when her dreams didn't make sense at all and they could merely be a normal child's nightmare. So, Merlin made himself forget about it as he covered the granary's entrance with some boards and went inside as fast as he could – unaware of a pair of prying eyes fixed on him.

Inside his mother was still awake and worried. "Go to bed, Merlin. You should be cold", Hunith said as soon as his firstborn entered.

"Don't worry, mum", replied he as he ushered Will to his own bed. "I've prepared everything for the storm."

And Merlin went to a small washbasin to wash his hands. He was smiling pleased with his work when Will, who was in bed, but wasn't still asleep exclaimed, "There's a man in the window!"

Merlin turned around quickly, but there was no one in there. Perhaps the lightings had made him see the shadow of a tree... or a raven? "There is no one. C'mon, Will, it's late. You must go to sleep."

"But there was a man out there", he said sitting up. "I've seen him."

"Shh..." said Merlin and he had to come to Will to calm him down. He didn't want his other siblings to wake up and be afraid of the storm or of whatever that might be outside, specially Morgana.

Will was still insisting on having seen someone when they heard a knock on the door. Both of them were paralysed for a second and then Will said, "See how I was right." But that didn't helped in the least.

Merlin went to the door but Hunith that till that moment had rested silent watching bemusedly her two older children said, "Merlin, please, don't open."

"Perhaps it's just a branch that hit the door", he tried to calm his mother and brother. It was extremely farfetched but it was better than facing the fact that someone or something dangerous might be out there. However, Merlin's curious nature won over his good sense and he approached the window to try to peek outside. Then they heard a male's voice, "Please, let me in... I'm just a poor traveller who has got lost and is cold and hungry."

"Who are you?", asked Merlin unconsciously.

"Merlin!", tried to call his mother. She was sat up on her bed, an anxious expression in her face. Merlin, on the other hand, only could think that if perhaps it was truly someone who wanted to hurt them, he had his magic to defend them. He could do some tricks, move some objects and force him out. It wasn't much but it was still something. And if it was just a traveller, it was cruel to leave him alone out there.

"I'm on my way to the king's castle, but the storm came upon me and I don't know where to take refuge", pressed the unknown man from outside. "Please, I just want a place to stay the night."

"Don't open", ordered his mother. "He may be dangerous."

But Merlin's kind nature didn't let him do that. "He must be cold and hungry and a storm is coming. We can't let him out there, mum", he defended. And before Hunith could protest again he opened the door.

"Come inside, quickly", Merlin said. A tall man covered in a black cloak with a hood and a walking stick entered. He seemed quite old despite the fact that his short beard and what little hair could be seen under the hood were still darker than Merlin's, whereas his light blue eyes were tired but grateful. Perhaps it was this man in black who Morgana had mistaken for a raven. In any case, Merlin decided it would be better if he was careful with him.

"Please", asked Merlin, "don't speak too loud. My little siblings are sleeping." And they were. Just Will's and his mother's eyes were on them.

"I'm sorry to disturb you", the man apologized kindly to them. "Perhaps you were sleeping..."

"No. My mother is ill", he informed their guest, "and I was still up doing some chores."

"I don't ask for much", said the man as he approached the embers left on the fireplace, "just a roof to shelter me from the storm, a floor to rest a bit and if you had something to eat... I would be most grateful."

Hunith was still looking at the man with distrust. Moreover, she was in no condition to serve anyone. "I will take care of him, mum", Merlin said to her before joining the man. "I will prepare you something and you can rest here." He pointed a pile of straw near the fireplace which was comfortable enough to sleep.

"Thank you, dear boy. It's more than I hoped for", the old man answered kindly. "And what's your name? Who am I indebted to?"

Merlin went to the cupboard where they kept some food to retrieve something for the stranger to eat. "Everybody calls me Emrys", he said. For some reason he thought it would be better if the man didn't know his real name. "And you?"

"Well", the old man chuckled, "it's been a long time since anybody has addressed me. I live in isolation... but my name... my name is Cornelius."

-~oOo0oOo~-

Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **The dream prince

**Pairings: **Merlin/Arthur

**Rating:** T

**Warnings: **slash, some violence (I'll warn you again in the chapters where it appears), angst, character deaths (not Arthur or Merlin), some innocent underage kisses (nothing serious until they are adults) and fluffy moments (after all it's kind of a fairytale). And this is unbeta'd, so any mistake is completely mine.

**Summary:** FairytaleAU. Merlin is a peasant warlock and Arthur is an oppressed prince. Both of them try to escape their destiny but it brings them together in the form of a lake and a lady who would make everything in her hand so that their dreams can become true. Merlin/Arthur slash.

**Disclamer: **All credits go to the creators of BBC Merlin and the Italian film 'Sorellina e il principe del sogno'.

**Word count for this chapter:** around 2000

**AN: **Thanks for the followings and favourites! It makes me extremely happy. Unfortunately, that doesn't make me any faster so I fear from now one it will take me more than a week to update. Sorry for that, but I don't want to rush this fic. Anyway, here you have the fourth chapter. This one is shorter but more new characters are mentioned and they will play their part later in bringing Arthur and Merlin together. It also explains why Uther hates magic so much in this fic. Oh, and Uther has a little violent outburst in this chapter, but nothing serious. Hope you like it!

-~oOo0oOo~-

**Chapter Four**

The great hall of Camelot's castle was full of people. The king sat on a higher table on a dais with his wife, his son and some of his most trusted commanders and advisers, presiding over the rest of the long tables where more nobles and knights sat to celebrate the return of their beloved king, victorious in his crusade against magic.

Food and drink was brought in constantly by obedient servants that fulfilled the every need of the nobles present at the big feast. From roast pork to mead, everything was delicious as it should be in such a great celebration. The banquet had been going on for a while now and most people were already more than elated thanks to the euphoria of the moment and all the alcoholic drinks that had been served.

However, among the crowd of boisterous happy people there were worried faces too. The queen and prince of Camelot sat at each side of the king, hardly eating anything. In the lower tables, the old physician Gaius also sent them preoccupied glances. It would be obvious for anyone who took the time to look twice at them that neither wanted to be there. After the disastrous reunion, father and son hadn't said anything to each other and the queen didn't know what to do any more.

As the night dragged on the queen finally thought it was time for the show to start. Perhaps then she and her son would be able to retire to their chambers and spent a quiet night. Ygraine wanted time to think about her next movement to protect her son and for that she needed Uther to cool off a bit. There would be no point in trying to show him the advantages of being a literate person if he were too obsessed with the idea of his son being a little warrior. That's why, foreseeing Uther's temper, the queen had arranged beforehand for this show by a well-know group of comics and acrobats.

As they entered the great hall already doing tricks and juggling, all the people clapped and roared in delight at what they expected would be a spectacle worthy of a king. Among the performers where musicians, comedians, bards, a beautiful brown-skinned dancer in a purple provocative dress, a dwarf who did tricks and somersaults, a strong tall man who was able to lift his friend, who was a rather fat young man, and a shirtless black man who played with fire. As all of them walked around the different tables and impressed everyone with their antics or their skills, the king looked over them from his privileged position clapping and laughing merrily as if this were the best day of his life. He even sent an approving glance to his wife and she couldn't help but think that everything was going to be all right.

Her happiness, nevertheless, didn't last long. The pretty dancer approached the high table moving her hips sensually, which made the king roar louder and his son avert his gaze shyly. And with her the dwarf came too jumping around and humming happily. He noticed the prince's flushed face at the sight of such a beautiful woman and decided to play a little trick to amuse their majesties.

With encouraging words the little man promised the young prince to help him to court such a charming woman. The king found it extremely funny and seemed to be enjoying himself until the dwarf said that in order to conquer a lady you had to give them something beautiful. The inexperienced prince took what he had more at hand – an expensive ornate dagger he wore in his belt – and offered it to the smiling girl. The dwarf wasn't convinced of such a gift and with a fluent movement of his hand over the dagger, he transformed it instantly into a beautiful white flower.

The poor man didn't have time to told the prince to offer it to the awaiting girl. The king immediately stood up and shouted, "What the hell have you done, you little monster!?" At that all the people in the room turned towards the high table with questioning looks. Even the music stopped as all eyes were fixed on the angry king, the surprised prince and the frightened dwarf.

"My lord?", was the only thing the paralysed man could say before the king took him by the front of his tunic and lifted him several inches.

The king ignored the murmurs of the crowd, the terrified glances of the other performers and even the pleading calls of his son and wife. "Was that magic, you little scum? How dare you? Magic is forbidden in my kingdom!" As in every time were magic was somehow involved or simply mentioned, the king seemed to have lost all perspective and got incredibly furious. He would have gone as far as hitting the poor dwarf if his son, Arthur, hadn't intervened.

"Father, please!" But it was Arthur's hand pulling his father arm that brought the king back from his frenzy and made him release his grip on the dwarf, who fell into the ground in a heap. "Please", the prince repeated. "It wasn't magic! It was just a stupid trick! He changed my dagger for this flower..." And the prince showed the flower to his father to prove there was nothing strange in it as the dwarf, a bit more recovered, showed him the dagger he had just swapped. "He was just really quick!"

Uther looked at his son dubiously as he tried to regain his senses, finally aware of the whole court looking at them. The true was that the mere suspicion of magic always put him like that. But he couldn't forget what happened all those years ago, how a lowly sorcerer had betrayed his father, how he had killed him and had almost destroyed the Pendragon family and gained a kingdom with just a flick of his hand. He had been very young at the time but he had learned the lesson. Magic was dangerous and his only way of dealing with it was trying to exterminate it before some damn sorcerer did the same to him. No one would snatch Camelot from him.

"Is this true?", he finally asked his son more calmly, but the venom still present in his tone.

"It wasn't magic, father", the boy nodded seriously and even with a bit of authority in his voice.

"Very well", conceded the king reluctantly as he took the white flower from his son and crushed it in his fist. "But if I ever found out you have protected a real sorcerer...", he said in his son's ear and the prince had to gulp at the rage contained in that threat. And he didn't doubt his father for a moment. His hate for magic blinded him so much he would be able to kill anyone in order to eradicate magic in his realm.

The king gave the dwarf and the dancer helping him up a last disdainful look before addressing his guests. "We can't forget magic users are monsters. And I don't want them in my kingdom. Neither magic users nor stupid performers who would play tricks too similar to magic as if that were nothing." He sent all the performers a hateful glance before announcing. "I gave you three days to leave my kingdom. If I ever find you within my lands again, you'll be executed." He searched for his second in command and ordered him, "Valiant! Take a few men and escort them out of the castle!"

The brute knight obeyed at once and with the help of a few more guards all of the performers, musicians and comedians left the great hall under the watchful eyes of their king. When the last one had left, the king directed his attention back to his guests and ordered everyone to continue with the feast before leaning down towards his wife and whispering in her ear, "And you, sweet Ygraine, I hope you won't be so lenient in such matters again in the future."

Without another word the king took his son's arm and left the great hall too using a side door, dragging his son with him. As soon as they reached a deserted corridor away from prying eyes the king exploded. "I don't want my son and heir to ever speak to me like that again!"

"But father...", the prince tried to defend himself. "The man wasn't doing anything wrong."

"How dare you question your father and king in front of everyone!" A new sparkle of anger was visible again in the king's cold grey gaze. "From now on you will do what I tell you to do, you will say what I tell you to say and you will think what I tell you to think. Is that understood?" The prince simply looked at the king in astonishment, his eyes going from his enraged father to his sad mother, who had appeared at the end of the corridor and was contemplating the scene sorrowfully.

"Like that nonsense of writing...", continued the king crying. "You're my son! Have you heard me?! You're a prince of Camelot! You have to be a warrior! Your time to be spoiled by your mother is over. From now on things are going to change. I'm going to make you change." Uther towered over him menacingly. "From tomorrow I'm going to make you a real man, a warrior worthy of being my son. I want to see you at sunrise in the training field." And with that he left.

Ygraine walked towards her beloved son slowly and embraced him tightly in a protective hug. She could just whisper, "It's going to be all right, my boy."

-~oOo0oOo~-

Everything was quiet in the small hut. It was the middle of the night and all its inhabitants were peacefully sleeping. The calm was only broken by some claps of thunder and the sound of the wind that echoed outside the wooden dwelling. It would be thanks to the light that got through the windows every time the storm released a bolt of lightning that if a member of the family were awake, they would have noticed their guest wasn't asleep either.

Cornelius, as the old man had said his name was, had his eyes wide open, his light blue gaze glued to a candle near the pile of straw where he was supposed to be sleeping. A new bolt of lightning illuminated the room and then, when it was dark again, the dim light of that same candle was barely visible. The old man had ignited it with just a thought as his eyes had gone completely black for a second or, more precisely, he had lit it with his magic.

Without no one noticing it, the old man got up and with the candle in his hand he walked to the beds where mother and children rested. He looked briefly at the woman and then at some of her smaller children. The young girl was clearly an interesting one – his magic told him that much. However, in that small hut there was a higher prize. The prize he had come for. The oldest boy, Emrys.

Cornelius couldn't help but approach the young warlock to get a better look of his serene pretty face. It was even better than he may have expected. Not only he had found the mythical Emrys of the old prophecies, but he was far stronger, more compassionate, sweet and beautiful than he had ever imagined. And the best part was that he was so full of energy, of magic... The magic he needed to keep himself alive and evade death once more. The magic he wanted to be young again.

He even went as far as bending down to look closer to that incredible creature he hoped to possess soon. And so he whispered, "You'll be mine, Emrys."

-~oOo0oOo~-

Thanks for reading!


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